The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has revealed alarming figures indicating that the consequences of climate change are driving millions of people from their homes worldwide. A report released by the UNHCR ahead of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil highlights the escalating crisis.
According to the report, weather-related disasters have caused approximately 250 million internal displacements over the past decade. This equates to over 67,000 people being displaced daily. The UNHCR also emphasized that a significant proportion of those displaced by conflict reside in nations particularly vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate.
The UNHCR cited examples such as the devastating floods in South Sudan and Brazil, record-breaking temperatures in Kenya and Pakistan, and critical water shortages in Chad and Ethiopia. The report stated that climate change is exacerbating existing challenges for those already displaced, as well as for the communities hosting them, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected regions.
The agency notes that only a quarter of the funds available for climate change adaptation are reaching conflict-ridden countries, which frequently host large refugee populations. The annual UN Climate Change Conference, often referred to as COP, is frequently utilized as a platform for less wealthy nations to request increased funding from developed countries to adapt to increasingly hostile climatic conditions.
“If we want stability, we must invest where people are most vulnerable,” stated UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. “To prevent further displacement, climate funding must reach communities already living on the brink.”
Grandi urged participants at the climate conference to fulfill their commitments, stating, “This conference must deliver real action, not empty promises.” Approximately 50,000 participants from over 190 countries are convening in Belém, Brazil, for two weeks of discussions focused on curbing the climate crisis and addressing its devastating impacts. The conference began today.
